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Multiwavelength monitoring and X-ray brightening of Be X-ray binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 on its approach to periastron

Journal Article · · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7]
  1. University of Southampton (United Kingdom). Mathematical Sciences and STAG Research Centre and Physics and Astronomy and STAG Research Centre
  2. University of Hong Kong (China). Department of Physics
  3. Univ. of Manchester (United Kingdom). Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy
  4. University of Southampton (United Kingdom). Physics and Astronomy and STAG Research Centre
  5. Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States). Columbia Astrophysics Lab.
  6. George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA (United States). College of Science
  7. Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom). Astrophysics Research Institute
The radio and gamma-ray pulsar PSR J2032+4127 was recently found to be in a decades-long orbit with the Be star MT91 213, with the pulsar moving rapidly towards periastron. This binary shares many similar characteristics with the previously unique binary system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883. Here in this paper, we describe radio, X-ray, and optical monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213. Our extended orbital phase coverage in radio, supplemented with Fermi LAT gamma-ray data, allows us to update and refine the orbital period to 45–50 yr and time of periastron passage to 2017 November. We analyse archival and recent Chandra and Swift observations and show that PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 is now brighter in X-rays by a factor of ~70 since 2002 and ~20 since 2010. While the pulsar is still far from periastron, this increase in X-rays is possibly due to collisions between pulsar and Be star winds. Optical observations of the Hα emission line of the Be star suggest that the size of its circumstellar disc may be varying by ~2 over time-scales as short as 1–2 months. In conclusion, multiwavelength monitoring of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 will continue through periastron passage, and the system should present an interesting test case and comparison to PSR B1259-63/LS 2883.
Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Contributing Organization:
Fermi LAT Collaboration
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515
OSTI ID:
1355747
Journal Information:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 464; ISSN 0035-8711
Publisher:
Royal Astronomical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (20)

Highlights of Galactic Physics with VERITAS preprint January 2019
Overview of non-transient γ -ray binaries and prospects for the Cherenkov Telescope Array journal November 2019
Observational diversity of magnetized neutron stars journal September 2019
The orbital parameters of the gamma-ray binary LMC P3† journal January 2019
Probing the Properties of the Pulsar Wind in the Gamma-Ray Binary HESS J0632+057 with NuSTAR and VERITAS Observations text January 2019
Probing the Properties of the Pulsar Wind in the Gamma-Ray Binary HESS J0632+057 with NuSTAR and VERITAS Observations text January 2020
The X-Ray Modulation of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 during the Periastron Passage in 2017 journal April 2018
Recurrent Outbursts Revealed in 3XMM J031820.8-663034 journal May 2018
The Hour-timescale GeV Flares of PSR B1259–63 in 2017 journal August 2018
X-Ray and Radio Variabilities of PSR J2032+4127 near Periastron journal August 2019
X-Ray Spectral Evolution of PSR J2032+4127 during the 2017 Periastron Passage journal August 2019
The Likely Fermi Detection of the Be X-Ray Binary GRO J1008-57 journal September 2019
Neutron Stars and Black Holes in the Small Magellanic Cloud: The SMC NuSTAR Legacy Survey journal October 2019
Probing the Properties of the Pulsar Wind in the Gamma-Ray Binary HESS J0632+057 with NuSTAR and VERITAS Observations journal January 2020
Optical Spectral Evolution of the Gamma-Ray Binary PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 Toward Its 2017 Periastron Passage journal February 2019
The X-ray modulation of PSR J2032+4127/MT91 213 during the Periastron Passage in 2017 text January 2018
Recurrent outbursts revealed in 3XMM J031820.8-663034 text January 2018
The orbital parameters of the gamma-ray binary LMC P3 text January 2019
Overview of non-transient gamma-ray binaries and prospects for the Cherenkov Telescope Array text January 2019
Probing the Properties of the Pulsar Wind in the Gamma-Ray Binary HESS J0632+057 with NuSTAR and VERITAS Observations text January 2019

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